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“Release her from this.” I glared at Talia. She turned the compelled girl and tipped her chin up.

“Sydney, return to yourself.”

The young girl gasped, her wide, frightened eyes flaring.

“Wh-where am—Catalina?” Her wide eyes went from Talia to me.

“Hey, Sydney.” I grabbed her hand and tugged her to the room beside the Pepto one for some privacy. I didn’t want her to have to fall apart in front of everyone. Jax moved to follow me, but I put a hand up, staying him. I wouldn’t want some stranger watching me while receiving bad news. She didn’t know me well, but at least she recognized me.

“Where’s my mom?” She looked around, nose wrinkling.

I closed the door in Jax’s face and turned to Sydney. She slowed, looking around the room, with her arms crossed. All of the walls were painted black and there was a plush couch circling a center table with built in shackles. She settled her eyes on mine.

“Weird,” she whispered but I could hear her from my position across the room. I should have returned her to the bedroom Bastien and I had been in, it was the most normal looking one.

“Your mom told you about vampires.” Her eyes widened and her heartbeat picked up. The thud, thud, thud, of her heart pounded in my ear.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said it so quickly her voice melded together. I pursed my lips. Now she avoided my eyes. And I could see the pulse in her throat.

“Sydney,” I murmured. “She asked me to look after you.” I struggled to find the words. What did one say to the person that lost everything. Once upon a time, I’d been in her shoes, but at least I had Peter to look after, he’d kept me going, because I knew he couldn’t survive without me.

“B-but why? Where is she?”

“Sydney.” I slowly approached. She backed up.

“Spit it out,” she shouted, her eyes welling. She knew, some part of her had to know.

The doorknob jiggled.

“Catalina?”

“Wait out there,” I shouted. Thank God, I’d locked it.

I returned my gaze to Sydney. She swiped the back of her hand across her eyes.

“Who?” Her eyes filled with tears.

“We don’t know.”

“A vampire?”

“A gunshot wound.”

“D-did they turn her?” Her eyes widened and she hurried toward me and grabbed my hands. “Those Crimson vampires she worked for? She’s okay, she’s a vampire now, right?” Her shoulders dropped, visible relief on her face. “That’s okay, she can be a vampire,” she said it under her breath, like she was talking to herself.

“They tried,” I whispered. She didn’t seem to hear me. Then she went quiet, and her legs gave out. I crouched next to her. Her head dropped forward and she sobbed.

I pressed my hand on her back and watched the young girl sob. Tears gathered in my eyes and trickled down my cheeks.

Sydney swiped the back of her arm across her face.

“Why are your tears pink?”

“I’m a vampire.” I sniffled.

“Vampires can cry?”

I could only nod, joining her in another bout of tears. She would go through all of the emotions. I had to let her. She let out another wrenching sob.